Better Admin - About

[admin]

Better Admin was created to solve a simple problem: administering and moderating an SMF forum should not take more clicks than necessary.
SMF already gives administrators and moderators a lot of power, but some everyday tasks are buried behind menus, split across multiple pages, or require repeating the same action over and over again.
Better Admin keeps the parts of SMF that already work and improves the workflows around them.

Built for real administration

Better Admin is focused on making common moderation and administration tasks faster, clearer, and easier to manage directly where the content lives.
Instead of forcing staff to open topics one at a time, hunt through menus, or repeat the same action over and over, Better Admin brings the tools forward and adds safe bulk-management options where they make sense.

Bulk Topic Management

On board topic listings, administrators and moderators can select multiple topics at once and perform common actions without opening each topic individually.

Current bulk topic tools include:

• Delete selected topics
• Move selected topics
• Place selected topics Under Review
• Restore topics from review

Topics placed Under Review are hidden from regular members while remaining visible to staff for inspection.

Cleaner Topic Controls

Better Admin removes the need to rely on SMF's hidden More... menu for common actions.

Important controls are brought directly into the topic and reply interface, including:

• Edit
• Delete
• Report
• Split Topic
• Other moderation actions when permissions allow

The goal is simple: frequently used actions should be visible when you need them.

Bulk Reply Management

Replies inside a topic can also be managed in bulk.
The topic starter is always protected and excluded from bulk reply actions.

Staff can select individual replies or use Select All Replies and then:

• Delete selected replies
• Place selected replies Under Review
• Restore selected replies

Individual replies can also be placed Under Review or restored one at a time.
Replies Under Review disappear completely for regular members while remaining visible to authorized staff with a clear status badge.

A Better Package Manager

Better Admin also improves one of the most frequently used areas of the SMF Admin Center: the Package Manager.
Uploaded packages now stay in a stable, predictable order instead of jumping around as packages are installed, upgraded, or deleted.

The Package Manager improvements include:

• Stable package ordering based on when packages were added
• New packages appear at the bottom of the list
• Existing packages remain in place until deleted
• Successful installs and upgrades return you directly to the package list
• The package you just worked with is highlighted
• Clear success and failure alerts
• Success messages fade automatically
• Error messages remain until dismissed

Designed to work with SMF, not against it

Better Admin does not try to replace SMF's existing moderation and permission systems.
Wherever possible, it uses SMF's native actions, permissions, security checks, and message/topic handling underneath the improved interface.
That means the experience gets better without throwing away the stability and behavior SMF already provides.

Built slowly and tested heavily

Better Admin is being developed in stages.
Each new workflow is added carefully, tested heavily, refined, and only then used as the foundation for the next stage.
The goal is not to add features just for the sake of having more buttons.
The goal is to make administering an SMF forum genuinely better.

Less hunting. Fewer clicks. Better control.

Better Admin — because running your forum should be easier.